Monthly Archives: April 2014

Today we are submerged in technology. As I type this on my handy dandy laptop I’m streaming Star Trek: Deep Space Nine via Netflix on my Smart TV (I have warned you previously, dear reader, that this Pixie is a Sci-Fi geek) . My Smart Phone is next to me, poised to speedily inform me if I get any e-mails, texts, phone calls or notifications that I’ve been contacted through any of the Social Media outlets that I use.

I, and I’m guessing many of you, own books by Deepok Chopra, Starhawk, Scott Cunningham, Raymond Buckland, Edain McCoy, The Ferrars, Laurie Cabot etc., etc… We read these to further us along on our respective Paths and teach us all sorts of neat little Witchy things. However, I think the main reason we have these is a search for wisdom. Wisdom is indeed something that these authors have to share with us, and they are truly a very valuable resource. I believe we need to start looking beyond them though.

Let me explain what I mean. I think we need to look further into the past, or at least to cultures that are near the beginning of the past (if that confuses you, sorry…just roll with I think you’ll get my meaning soon enough). The indigenous peoples from around the world have said much that we should revisit and learn from. I’ve gathered several quotes and proverbs from many indigenous tribes. I’ve tried to pull wisdom from native cultures around the globe.

The people from these cultures are far more in tune with the cycles of Life and of the Earth than most of us that live in the modern world. I think we need to listen to what these cultures are trying to tell us. Some of their wisdom is good for the every day things of life, others go far deeper than that. Anyway, check out the wonderful nuggets of wisdom I have chosen for you.

Indigenous People of Mexico

)O( Don’t steal; don’t lie; don’t be lazy. – Inca Proverb

)O( The strongest warrior is he who conquers himself. – Aztec Saying

)O( The greatest wisdom is in simplicity. Love, respect, tolerance, sharing, gratitude, forgiveness. It’s not complex or elaborate. The real knowledge is free. It’s encoded in your DNA. All you need is within you. Great teachers have said that from the beginning. Find your heart, and you will find your way. – Carlos Barrios, Mayan elder and Ajq’ij of the Eagle Clan

Indigenous People of North America

)O( A nation is not defeated until the hearts of its women are on the ground. Then it is done, no matter how brave its warriors or how strong its weapons. – Cheyenne Proverb

)O( The elders were wise. They knew that man’s heart, away from nature, becomes hard; they knew that lack of respect for growing, living things, soon led to lack of respect for humans, too. –Chief Luther Standing Bear, Lakota Sioux

)O( Everything on the earth has a purpose, every disease an herb to cure it, and every person a mission. This is the Indian theory of existence. – Mourning Dove, Salish

)O( Children were encouraged to develop strict discipline and a high regard for sharing. When a girl picked her first berries and dug her first roots, they were given away to an elder so she would share her future success. When a child carried water for the home, an elder would give compliments, pretending to taste meat in water carried by a boy or berries in that of a girl. The child was encouraged not to be lazy and to grow straight like a sapling. – Mourning Dove, Salish

)O( When we Indians kill meat, we eat it all up. When we dig roots, we make little holes. When we build houses, we make little holes. When we burn grass for grasshoppers, we don’t ruin things. We shake down acorns and pine nuts. We don’t chop down the trees. We only use dead wood. – 19th Century Wintu Woman

)O( We must protect the forests for our children, grandchildren and children yet to be born. We must protect the forests for those who can’t speak for themselves such as the birds, animals, fish and trees. – Qwatsinas (Hereditary Chief Edward Moody), Nuxalk Nation

)O( Do not grieve. Misfortunes will happen to the wisest and best of men. Death will come, always out of season. It is the command of the Great Spirit, and all nations and people must obey. What is past and what cannot be prevented should not be grieved for… Misfortunes do not flourish particularly in our lives – they grow everywhere. – Big Elk, Omaha Chief

)O( The color of skin makes no difference. What is good and just for one is good and just for the other, and the Great Spirit made all men brothers. I have a red skin, but my grandfather was a white man. What does it matter? It is not the color of the skin that makes me good or bad. -White Shield, Arikara Chief

)O( Try to do something for your people – something difficult. Have pity on your people and love them. If a man is poor, help him. Give him and his family food, give them whatever they ask for. If there is discord among your people, intercede. Take your sacred pipe and walk into their midst. Die if necessary in your attempt to bring about reconciliation. Then, when order has been restored and they see you lying dead on the ground, still holding in you hand the sacred pipe, the symbol of peace and reconciliation, then assuredly will they know that you have been a real chief. – Winnebago Teaching

Indigenous People of Europe:

)O( The little fire that warms is better than the big fire that burns. – Irish Gaelic Proverb

)O( A fish from the river, a staff from the wood and a deer from the mountain. – thefts no Gael was ever ashamed of. – Irish Gaelic Proverb

)O( A priest should be learned, but learning won’t make a priest. – Irish Gaelic Proverb

)O( No matter how much you train the wolf, he still looks at the mountains and howls. – Kazakh Proverb

Indigenous People of Australia:

)O( Those who lose dreaming are lost. – Aboriginal Proverb

)O( We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home. – Aboriginal Proverb

Phew! I know that was a lot of stuff to read, but I’m hoping you got something out of it. Even if none of these ideas/philosophies aren’t new to you, perhaps they’ll serve as a reminder of their importance. I know some of them have done that for me.

This is just a drop in the bucket though. I encourage you all to look into who the native people of your area are and see what you can learn from them. If you’re a knowledge nut, like myself, then see what you can find out from other indigenous cultures around the world. There are so many fascinating and intensely deep messages to receive if we just open ourselves up to listening. Some of these cultures are gone…but their wisdom should not be lost. It is important, and we should do all we can to continue to make sure that their words live on.

Healing has been associated with Magickal Practitioners throughout the history of the world. From Ancient Egyptians & Chinese, to European Cunning-Folk & Wise Women, to Native American Medicine Men & Women, to Modern Day Pagans of a multitude of paths (Along with a whole mess of others, too numerous to list!).

Most of these people had/have a vast knowledge of herbs and tend to also have an understanding of human physiology. However, herbs are not the only manner in which healing can be administered, not by a long shot!

Hold it! <Enter squealing breaks sound here>

So, originally I was meaning to post on the various types of healing modalities with brief explanations for each. It felt like a struggle though, and my mind kept fixating on methods that did not use anything but the practitioner, maybe a little music & mood lighting, and some form of energy that is transferred from the practitioner to the client.

While I am a huge fan of healing by way of herbs, crystals, acupuncture, reflexology, etc.; I am most fascinated by, and most often utilize Energy Healing.

So what is Energy Healing? Well, regardless of what form you use, it is basically the channeling of healing energy from the practitioner to the person seeking help. This can be done with hands-on, hands-off, or at a distance. It’s something I believe we are all capable of tapping into, and I’ve always seemed to have quite the aptitude for it myself.

Below are a few types that I am familiar with, and have done myself…I’m sure there are MANY more methods practiced around the world, but this is what the Pixie’s packing in her Healing Med Kit: 😉

Basic Energy Healing: This is a method that needs no special training, and while it may be simple, it is by no means “less than” other modalities. The level of success has more to do with the practitioner than the method itself. I don’t know how others do this, but I’m willing to assume it’s at least similar to the way I do it. When healing energy is requested, I place both feet on the floor and use visualization & intent to summon energy from the Earth. I feel the energy being drawn in through the soles of my feet and move up through my body. If the person in need is with me, I either place my hands on the ailing area or above it (some peeps just don’t wanna be touched…and the area just may be of a, shall we say, sensitive nature). I then direct the energy to and out of my hands and to the person. I have also done this at a distance, I simply face the direction in which the client is located and focus on streaming the energy to them. When I’m done, I have to push that energy back out through my feet and into the Earth…or else I’m all sorts of buzzed up on the excess.

The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician. Therefore the physician must start from nature, with an open mind.” ~Paracelsus

Reiki: This is the ancient art of Hand-On healing re-discovered by Dr. Mikao Usiu in the mid 1800s after 21 days of intense meditation, fasting and prayer. After he received the information and symbols during his vision he was able to utilize it for healing himself and others. He called the energy used in this healing technique “Reiki” which means “Universal Life Force Energy”.

Reiki works by seeking out the root cause of the ailment, thereby treating its source as well as any symptoms.

Practitioners gain the ability to utilize this Life Force Energy by way of training with and receiving attunements from a Reiki Master (There are 3 levels: Reiki I, Reiki II, and Reiki Master). Once this has occurred, healing is passed on by the practitioner placing their hands in a variety of positions on or slightly above the clients body (Actual touch is not necessary for the energy to be transferred as Reiki energy is smart energy and it will find its way to the area). If someone is either a Reiki II practitioner or a Master they are also trained to do Distant Reiki if the client is unable to be physically present for the session.

Nothing is so healing as the human touch.” ~Bobby Fischer

Aura Cleansing (The Pixie Method): The aura is the electromagnetic field comprised of layers containing physical, mental, emotional, & spiritual energies that surrounds our body and extends out roughly 4-5 feet. This technique just sort of popped into my head the first time I attempted to cleanse someone’s aura during a coven exercise, and I had much success. The client sits in a chair, closes their eyes, and takes a few deep breathes. Take a moment to hold your hands out and find the ‘edges’ of their aura. Scan the aura with your hands (a similar technique is used in Reiki sessions). Once you’ve done that, focus healing energy into any areas you feel may be problematic. THEN comes the fun part! Place your hands at the boundaries of their aura again, and draw any negative energy to the surface and pluck it out. How do you do this? Visualization! Focus your intent on drawing the negativity out with your hands, rather than sending healing through…you’re basically just reversing the process. Once you see the black/gray/brown bits float to the edge, pluck them out and pinch them into little specks of dust to be returned to the Universe for recycling. Do one more pass over the client to make sure you’ve got all the big bits, then finish up by combing their aura up and out with your fingers (Just to get out all the tiny crumbs and make it all pretty again).

Elemental Energy Healing (The Pixie Method): This is very similar to Basic Energy Healing as I call on and direct the energies in a similar manner. This method also popped into my head during a coven healing exercise, and I had very good results. I start out the same as the Basic method: Feet on the floor, client in the room. I then call forth energy from a specific element (again through visualization and intent) Earth energy comes up through the feet and feels cool and dry, when it is projected to the client, it is green. Air energy is absorbed from anywhere on the body, feel it blowing on your skin…it is hot and moist, when projected it is yellow. Fire energy was drawn in through my feet as well, hot and dry, when projected it is red. When calling forth Water energy, I felt it as if rain were falling from the sky (or ceiling, lol) and I absorbed it cold wet energy through my skin, when projected it is blue. I then stream the white light of Spirit to sort of wrap things up. It is quite intense, but works well. Just be sure to ground yourself thoroughly afterward!

In the midst of the sense of tragedy or loss, sometimes laughter is not only healing, it’s a way of experiencing the person that you’ve lost again.” ~Alan Alda

Well, there you have it a nice little taste of the types of Energy Healing that one can do. Like I said, there are TONS more out there, so if none of these are your cup of tea, then look around and see if you find a method that suits you. If for some reason you have trouble finding something you like I have one fail-safe healing method that’s bound to make you feel better…even if it’s just for a little while: LAUGHTER! That shit will fix whatever’s ailing you any damn day of the week!

Laughter is important, not only because it makes us happy, it also has actual health benefits. And that’s because laughter completely engages the body and releases the mind. It connects us to others, and that in itself has a healing effect.” ~Marlo Thomas

Being Called…it’s something that has been on my mind, tumbling about with all the other seemingly random notions that live in my brain. I was trying to think of when I first heard mine…the only image that comes to my mind is sitting in my front yard as a child, with my face turned to the sun, eyes closed, listening to the sound of nature as it spoke by way of the wind blowing through the leaves of the large trees on the street.

I don’t think I had any actual comprehension that I was being pulled, and called by nature…by The Universe…by the Gods, but I do have a strong emotional connection to that moment, so I tend to believe that that was my first little nudge in the right direction.

Most people have a calling. Some are called to artistic endeavors, some to technology, some to politics, and some, like myself, have been called to Serve. I believe that all who follow a Pagan Path are called to Serve. Now, some of you might be thinking “Hold on there, Sister! I’m nobody’s servant!”. Bare with me and think about it for a moment. What is service? According to the dictionary it’s an “act of helpful activity”. As Pagans we are inherently helpful, aren’t we? We serve the Earth, it’s inhabitants, our Deities, and our Communities. We have been called to do this. Yes, we also do much self-exploration and soul-searching, therefore we also serve ourselves.

Heed this… What we do for ourselves dies with us, what we do for another, remains eternal” ~Unknown

I think some people get hung up on the idea that service to the Community means putting in loads of time to do something “big”. Sure, it can be that way, but it can also be the little things like holding doors for people and helping little elderly ladies get a can from a high shelf at the grocery store. It really is just as simple as being helpful.

Some of us are called to do more. There’s that “called” word again, what exactly does it mean? For most you could go with the simpler definition of ‘being asked’ to do something…for some there is a much stronger definition ‘to command or summon’. Chances are, in my experience anyway, if you have a very strong urge to help others, such as in a healing or spiritual capacity, you’re probably being summoned.

Through consciousness, our minds have the power to change our planet and ourselves. It is time we heed the wisdom of the ancient indigenous people and channel our consciousness and spirit to tend the garden and not destroy it.” ~Bruce Lipton

I guess you could say this is a “Higher Calling”. In Wicca, we are all Priests & Priestesses – Clergy. We all have our roles to play, and we all have our special areas of expertise. However, some are called to do more….some are called to be leaders among them, our High Clergy. I’m starting to feel as though this may actually be part of my own Path…eventually. I’m not ready to go snatching up any reigns just yet. But it is surprising to me, because once upon a time, I was adamant about NEVER becoming a High Priestess. I was terrified at the idea of having that much responsibility for the Spiritual Lives of others. It really doesn’t feel so completely terrifying anymore. I think I may actually be pretty good at it someday.

Blessed are the ears that hear the pulse of the divine whisperer, and give no heed to the many whisperings of the world.” ~Thomas Kempis

I guess all my rambling is leading me to impart this little piece of advice: Pay Attention! If you feel a pull towards something, examine it. Do not dismiss an idea out of hand or out of fear. Some things the Universe throws at you are for future reference, so never toss out these notions. Tuck them away, and when the time is right, and you feel you are ready (and sometimes even if you’re not sure you’re ready)…Heed the Call.